I really loved Erin Kelly’s He Said/She Said, with its unique intricate plot. Watch Her Fall definitely solidifies Erin Kelly’s penchant for creating interesting intelligent plots.

The story evolves as we switch from one characters perception/portrayal to the next, each with their own experience of events as they unfold. The combination of plot, perspectives, and underlying psychological suspense really makes for an intriguing read. Having said that I really battled to get into the book. It’s definitely personal opinion, but the first ‘act’ was perhaps a little too long, and perhaps a little too Swan Lake for my liking. Due respect though, I think that was intended, and on hindsight was crucial to the story, it just wasn’t for me.

Thanks NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a review copy.

'Watch Her Fall' was everything I've come to expect from Erin Kelly: dark and wonderfully twisty. The cut-throat world of professional ballet provided the perfect backdrop, too. Loved it!

I was delighted to receive a proof of the latest Erin Kelly and it was not a disappointment.

This is quite a twisty tale and you're never quite sure where it's going to take you next. Erin explores the world of ballet deftly and it's always been a facscinating world for me too!

You're never sure who to trust and who's the villian - but this isn't so clearcut as that...everyone involved seems to have a villianous side!

How can I write a review of this book without spoilers? It’s very difficult, because Erin Kelly once again produces a story with unexpected twists, leading you down one road and then sharply pulling a handbrake turn.

The book is essentially about the principal dancer of the London Russian Ballet Company, Ava Kirilova, her father, the company founder and patriarch, Nicky Kirilov, and other characters within the company.

Suffice to say, things don’t run smoothly, there are deaths and injuries and people dealing with the aftermath of those. There are immigrants struggling to survive in a world which treats them harshly, and all the human emotion which comes with living in the shadows.

The different strands of the story come together by the end, but your nerves will have been strung out before you get there!

Watch Her Fall is set, irresistibly, in the world of ballet, and – even better – against the backdrop of a production of Swan Lake. At 30, Ava is finally ready to dance the dual role of Odette and Odile, the culmination of a career overseen by her exacting father Nikolai Kirilov, the legendary director of the London Russian Ballet Theatre. However, the production is beset by bad luck, and Ava is particularly upset to observe Nikolai’s apparent favouritism towards a younger dancer who is taking the part of ‘second swan’.

To say more about the plot might risk spoilers. Like some of Kelly’s previous books (The Burning Air, Stone Mothers), Watch Her Fall is split into chunks told from the perspectives of different characters, some of whom initially seem obscurely connected to the others (or not connected at all). By Act II, it appears we are very far from the story’s glamorous beginnings. Yet I continued to be just as gripped as I had been at the start. And eventually, the narratives slot together beautifully and ingeniously.

This is a delightful return to form, a juicy and compelling page-turner. While I gratefully devoured it all within a day, I actually wish I’d given it a bit more time – I think measuring it out in morsels would be even more pleasurable than racing through it.

I’m not sure how to describe this book, it’s compelling reading, there are many twists and “oh” moments, I guess it’s a psychological thriller, but more than that with real characters who have moral dilemmas, set against the claustrophobic world of professional ballet.
Ava Kirilova is a principal dancer with the London Russian Ballet run by her father Nikolai Kirilov. She is preparing for the greatest role of her career: Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, and is under tremendous pressure to be perfect, it is her father’s last production before hip surgery, and the company needs the revenue that it will bring. The influence of the autocratic Nicky is felt throughout the company.
After an accident at the dress rehearsal, Ava is in emotional turmoil.

The narration then continues through other characters, Juliet, Roman, and each story changes the view of the truth, until the dramatic ending resolves most questions.
It is very hard to give more detail without spoiling what is an excellent read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read this book.

Interesting plot here! Set in the cut throat world of the russian ballet in london, this has some very disturbing descriptions of the world of competitive ballet! People would literarily kill for the lead role in Swan Lake. I didn't even know the story of Swan Lake but this novel shows you and weaves that into the plot. And then, well.....there's a lot more to this novel than ballet!

It's got the Kelly quality writing guarantee so that's a given. Characters you can picture wearing tutus, they're so clear and well drawn.

Absolutely loved this book. A slow-burn start where the set-up of the tough ballerina life is laid out, and then bam - shock after shock and a fabulously handled twist - I couldn't put this down.

This is a gripping new novel from one of the best thriller writers, Erin Kelly. It takes place in the world of classical ballet, which I thought was an unusual yet interesting setting. I've never been to a ballet show and know little about the art, so found the book informative in addition to being a brilliant page-turner.

The main character is Ava Kirilova, who is about to star in Swan Lake. She's the principal ballerina in the company owned by her father, the legendary Nicky. At the school in London, he drives the dancers very hard to get the best performances from them, but somehow Ava can never please him. At the age of thirty, she is close to retirement and should inherit the company, but she worries that the other dancers are after her role and that the coaches, her father's long-time friends, are conspiring with him to take her inheritance away. I can't say any more about the plot or it will spoil the story for you, but there are lots of twists. I couldn't predict what was going to happen. I was impressed by the level of detail in the plot and the descriptions of life as a ballet dancer. There are some serious themes in the book, such as grief, ambition, immigration and inequality. I liked how they were part of the story but didn't slow down the narrative.

I couldn't help noticing an odd detail (at least in my advance copy, which is subject to changes before publication), in that a British character mentions Band-Aids when she would more realistically have said 'plasters'.

[Note - this review will appear on my blog on 15th March]

I was delighted to be granted early access to this story, as a keen fan of Erin Kelly. This book does not disappoint. The depth of character development and the pirouetting twists and turns of characters, situations and personal histories compel the reader to read on past bedtime. As usual, Erin Kelly delivers swift blows and shocks just when everything seems clear and obvious. No spoilers here which means 8mkeabe a shirt but honest review. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

Watch her Fall = Blow your mind!

4-5 stars rounded up.

Swan Lake is about to open at the London Russian Ballet Theatre run by Nikolai Kirilov who tyrannically instils rigorous Russian technique into the dancers in his company. Taking the lead role of Odette and Odile is Nikolai’s daughter Ava Kirilova. The storyline cleverly mirrors the ballet in the evolving twists and turns in this well written thriller. The Acts and Interludes are told from several perspectives and these different narratives work well taking the storytelling into unexpected directions delivering a sequence of surprises.

Although I think the book starts a little slowly it builds into something that is hard to put down. I love the premise and the fascination of the ballet company, the impending performance of Swan Lake with all the accompanying obsessions, envy of those in the key roles and greedy jostling for the limelight. The characterisation is excellent, you more than sense Ava’s imperious haughtiness in her prima ballerina position and also her paranoia as she gets older with eyes on those younger talents in the ranks and Nikolai's cold hearted egotism and drive for perfection. The characters emotions and feelings are well conveyed too. There are jarring off notes throughout with elements of challenging defiance which sets off ripples of unease and some fear. The story has multiple elements to it such as manipulation, deception, sabotage, some intrigue and so many dark secrets that have to stay buried. I love the fact the story is based around Swan Lake which lends itself to so much potential in a plot and includes moments of dramatic irony which are excellent and I love the ultimate twist at the end which I did not see coming!

Overall, this is the best Erin Kelly novel I’ve read. The background of ballet allows maximum drama which the author fully utilises. It’s clever, intense, dark and a very compelling read and I like the use of the visual imagery of the swan feathers at key moment.

With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc for an honest review.

This starts off like the film Black Swan but takes a very different turn. as we see not only the glamour of a ballet company but much of the seamier side of London and people living on the margins of society..

Ava Kirilova is the principal dancer at the a prestigious London ballet company. Her whole career has be building up to the moment when she dances the lead in Swan Lake, but with younger rivals snapping at her heels and her father, the head of the company, demanding absolute adherence to his vision of the production, she starts to doubt herself..

It's a difficult book to review without giving too much away, but it's beautifully written and, as always with Kelly,, wonderfully plotted.

I stayed up late finishing this.

Another strong entry from Erin Kelly, one of my trusted 'safe pairs of hands' when it comes to thrillers. This isn't perfect: there's some cliché, some of the less-good kind of melodrama, and some serious implausibility in the plot, but the good far outweighs the bad.

I am a sucker for any kind of theatre setting: the mystique of the ballet word in particular is reliably tantalising for the outsider, and this is a great example of the genre. Although the book is not set entirely in the London Russian Ballet Theatre, the claustrophobia and perfectionism of the institution permeates the whole novel, and Kelly's industry research has clearly been thorough.

This is particularly evident in the way that Swan Lake reverberates throughout: the company is preparing a production of the ballet staple, but its story and themes also echo in the plotting of the novel in a really satisfying way - there are some excellent "of course!" moments. And finally, there's a standout 'villain' in Nicky, a classically monstrous Artistic Director / father figure of the kind that you love to experience vicariously.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC.

One amazing story. I was quickly drawn into the interesting and intrigueing world of The Russian Ballet Company. Nicky, its elderly, corrupt ,domineering and controlling director. Ava, his daughter, why must her mother never be mentioned?
Nothing and no one is what they seem. So many twists and turns and shocks along the way. Who is manipulating who? Black feather and Swan Lake themes running throughout. The various "parts" of the book read like different acts in a ballet. Superbly crafted.
I always enoy Erin Kelly's books. I have read them all and this one does not disappoint. Highly recommended.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have read a few books by this author and have enjoyed them all. This had great storyline and great characters and kept me hooked from the beginning to the end. Enjoyed it.

Ava Kirilova has reached the very top of her profession. After years and years of hard graft, pain and sacrifice as part of the London Russian Ballet Company, allowing nothing else to distract her, she is finally the poster girl for Swan Lake. Even Mr K - her father, and the intense, terrifying director of the company - can find no fault. Ava has pushed herself ahead of countless other talented, hardworking girls, and they are all watching her now.

Kelly should write about ballet all the time. This is absolutely stunning; I was so immersed in the descriptions of Swan Lake, the dancers and the parallels Kelly draws between the ballet and the plot. Swan Lake is a well known and loved ballet but Kelly really captures the essence of it, there is so much beauty in this as well as desperation, honestly this is a magical read.

Another thing this book is is clever. Kelly's plot is so complex and executed to perfection. I was hanging on for dear life reading this as Kelly throws in twist after twist after twist, it is incredibly intoxicating and made for enthralling reading. There are multiple parts in this read, the first part is my favourite as that is where we know the least and have so much to discover but they are all enticing parts. At the end of it all, I had to sit back and marvel at how clever this plot is. I will not go into detail as you need to discover this for yourself but wow! Kelly has outdone herself this time.

The characters are exquisite as well, I could really envisage them. In particular, the ballet dancers are very well written, I could feel their hope and desperation to be the best. All the characters are integral whether they are major or minor, and it was such a joy to discover them and their story.

What more can I say other than to reiterate what a complex, exquisite read this was. The plot is out of this world and I adored the link to the world of ballet and the integral role Swan Lake plays. 'Watch Her Fall' is a stunning, haunting thriller that will have you on the edge of your seats.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy.

Obsession, jealousy and loss are the orchestra’s melody to this darkly intense ballet stage.

For me, the first act ‘Ava’ is by far the best part of the book. So much time and effort goes into the description it’s hard not to be swept off of your feet and get totally lost in the brutality and romance of being a professional dancer. The first part has such a claustrophobic feel, and so much energy that act two ‘Juliet’ for me was just a bit too pedestrian.

I enjoyed this book for the love of ballet but the storyline is very secondary. Kelly spends so long on her characters and creating mysteries that it would appear she forgot to give the actual plot any time in the spotlight.

I thought the ending was a bit too much of a (to quote Mr K) ‘fairytale’ ending. I wanted something as devastatingly en par with Swan Lake’s tragedy. This I feel would have completed the tone of the novel and displayed both fiction and reality in such a way that it incorporated the dualities of: white and black, dark and light, love and loss

Thank you to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my advance copy.

Erin Kelly is an author, whose work I look forward with fervour and breathless. She's one of the few authors, whose publishing dates I actually mark in my calendar and count down the days with increasing measure of anticipation and adrenaline. She's without one of the most accomplished psychological thriller writers. Her prose is partly literary, embedded with minute details that create a rich world. Her characters are fleshed out humans; I feel like I can bump into them on the street. So to be able to read Watch her Fall months before the official publication date...I had jitters.
This is a difficult one to review without giving away any spoilers, but I'll do my best. The first Act is narrated from the POV of Ava Kirilova, daughter of Nikolav Kirilova - renowned dancer and choreographer, owner of the London Russian Ballet Company - and Ava in her early 30s, has just landed her dream role: Swan Lake. She is playing both characters. It's a role to kill for. But Ava is aware of her little time she has left; ballet dancers peak early. As the first official performance date draws closer Ava starts to become paranoid and rehearsals become fraught with tension, until the devastating accident occurs...
Each act ends on a cliff-hanger that has your jaw on the floor. I was wondering at the end how Kelly would tie everything together. This book is an almost perfectly constructed feat barring a few flaws. There are many twists and turns in this read that I don't see coming but one of the twists in the second didn't quite do it for me. It was a twist seen many times and is a bit of a cliched if not done right. I think it just could've been executed better. It felt like the twist was being forced in. Also the telling the narrative from someone's POV, at times events overlapped and I could see where the story was going so the tension dwindled a little for me; this was the same problem I had with the latter half of Stone Mothers. However minor gripes asides this is an accomplished read with plenty of surprises and compelling characters. The insular world of the Russian Ballet Company is dazzling yet horrifying. A world of beauty, and extreme perfection. 4.5/5.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved this one. Very fast paced, had me turning pages as I tore through it – I had to see how it would end. The characters were well rounded and the narrative felt believable. Gave me chills. Solid five

The blurb is, I think, a little misleading as only about half of this book is set against the ballet company - though the themes of doubling and identities which appear in Swan Lake are duplicated in the plot, even when the narrative is looking elsewhere. It's interesting, too, the focus on Rothbart and the consequent father/daughter dynamic which has echoes in the story.

That said, we do have to accept some glaring implausibilities: that a young ballerina in a famous London company about to go on international tour doesn't have a phone or understand what data is, doesn't have a bank account and so on.

There's some clunkiness which seems to go with the melodrama of the genre. There's also some grating writing: bleeding scratches are described as 'my thighs shooting out red liquid threads... red snakes [that] swim through the water then die' - yeurgh!

But if you're looking for a twist-upon-twist page-turner then this is fun and entertaining.